Local comic community united by love of art and storytelling

Entering the room is comparable to being struck with a solid wall of sound and color. Inside, there is not a crowd, but a swarm of people. Their combined chatter is a unified buzz, broken up only by smatterings of laughter and the occasional excited screech. Upon slipping into the horde, it's clear that this is no typical gathering of people. They are eclectic, dressed in bright costumes and wigs, carrying everything from fake axes to live birds.

This is Florida Supercon, an annual convention for fans of comics, anime, video games and science fiction. The July 4-7 event took place at Miami Airport Convention Center.

"There's different things that bring different people there," said Phil Beracha, owner of Phil's Comic Shoppe.

People go to conventions for numerous reasons: the celebrity guests; the variety of comics on sale; merchandise from assorted vendors, such as T-shirts and fan-made knick-knacks; and the opportunity to dress up as a beloved character. Mostly, Beracha said, it's about getting the chance to hang out with people who like the things you like.

Phil's Comic Shoppe, at 6512 W. Atlantic Blvd. in Margate, has been in business since 1981. Beracha started reading comics in the '60s. He's seen the fan community evolve and change over the course of decades. It's much less of a cult now, he said. Fandom still feels like a private, sacred group, but it's become far more widespread.

"There's even TV shows now," he said, "it's big now," referring to comic book adaptations such as "Arrow" and "The Walking Dead."

Jonathan Rukes, 20, has worked at Docking Bay 94, in Coconut Creek, for seven years. He's found that numerous movie and television adaptations of comics have helped the genre become mainstream and accessible. People who may never have thought to pick up a comic book are now immersed in the community, and fans are diverse in age and background.

"The days of the comic book store being the dark, dank place where it's just 20- to 40-somethings sitting there, obsessing over every little detail of comics – and it largely being a boys' club and ostracizing everyone else – those days are long gone," Rukes said.Orlando Pabellon, 40, who frequents the store, said conventions tend to draw female fans in droves, often in far greater numbers than men.

Rukes described conventions as a Mecca for fans.

"It's a social thing," Pabellon added. "It's like going to a bar."

Conventions bring thousands of fans to one place where, for a few days, they can celebrate their passion for whatever it is they love without holding back, among others who share their enthusiasm. The rest of the year, though, the best way to interact with fellow fans is at a local comic shop.

Since new comics are released every week, readers tend to form a relationship with their supplying shop. The majority of customers at Docking Bay 94 are regulars, many of whom Rukes and Pabellon know by name.

"We definitely develop a rapport with them," Rukes said. "It's almost like a small family."

The local fan community, which is maintained by the presence of thriving comic shops, is where conventions find many of their customers.

"Conventions feed off the comic shops that are in the area," said Joann Richards, manager of Tate's Comics in Lauderhill.

Although Tate's did not participate in Supercon, it has supported conventions in the past.Still, Richards stressed, conventions only happen once a year, or a few times a year. But comics are a year-round habit: part of the joy of this narrative medium is constantly having new material to absorb and finding a place to visit regularly where there are other people to talk to about these slowly unfolding stories.

That's why, despite doomsayers who claim otherwise, Richards is not concerned about the comics industry dying out any time soon. This business is not just about the product; it's about the communal experiences associated with it. For shops like Tate's, that means their job is not only to sell the book but also to contribute to that social experience.

"You're happy that you came into here and interacted with us," Richards said. "It's not about the book anymore, it's about finding someone you can chat about that book with."

Past Present Future Comics has been at its West Palm Beach location for almost 21 years, and there are two other locations in Davie and Lauderhill. Like Phil's, they've become such a staple of the community that they almost never advertise.

He's worked at Past Present Future for two years but started helping out long before he became an official employee. Having been around for so long, he's seen customers who first began visiting the store as children start families and bring their own kids to the shop.Caring about the product certainly helps build a relationship with those regular customers.

"If you show enthusiasm and you know what you're talking about, it really matters to people," Melnyk said.

Regardless of whether a fan finds their niche at conventions, comic shops or online chat rooms, reaching out to this vibrant community has the potential to enrich the comic book experience for both old readers and new.

"You've got to love it, and if you do, that's great," said Richards. "Don't let anyone take that from you."